Winter Delights
by keymiks
Summary: The first time Karen laid her eyes on Jack, she knew she needed to learn how to make chocolate cookies.


Early in the morning, before their supermarket could even open, Karen headed to the Inn. The knocks she made were obviously from someone who could wait no longer. Good for her, Ann was the one to answer the door. No one was in the room but the two of them. Ann goes back to sweeping and says, "So, what brings you here so early, Karen?" Karen took a seat, "Well, I need your recipe for making chocolate cookies," she answers. "Huh? Why do you need them?" says Ann. "To make chocolate cookies, of course!" exclaimed Karen. Anne stopped sweeping and took a seat next to Karen, "Wouldn't it be better if I teach you personally and we make the cookies together?" Ann offers. Karen gave a small smile and said, "Then, there won't be any challenge at all." Ann went to her room and took a notebook under her bed. Soon, Karen was seen going back to the supermarket with a brown notebookin her hand.

"Dear, guess what Karen is doing?" asked Sasha as she leaves their room and into their store. "Drinking again? Wow, this early," guessed Jeff. "No, no! She's," Sasha gulps and then whispers, "cooking." Jeff's mouth opened, he breathes in and breaths out. Sasha placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "The cooking festival is still far from now, what's up with," murmurs Jeff. "Hmm, let's see. What are the upcoming events?" asked Sasha. Jeff walked towards their calendar and his eyes widened.

"What is it?" asks Sasha as she walks toward him.

"Thanksgiving."

"Hey, Jackie chan!" called Rick. "What? Don't even call me that," answers the sweaty Jack. "Meet us the Inn, okay? Grey, Cliff and I will be there." "Okay," Jacked answered and waved goodbye to Rick. Jack didn't realize it was already that late in the afternoon, he actually thought the pulling out weeds would bore him to death, but it didn't. He was so consumed in doing it he didn't even mind the cold. He took five more weeds after Rick left. Jack changed clothes and wore a black jacket before going to the Inn.

"There's our Kung Fu Mater!" shouts Grey ask Jack enters the Inn. Jack lowered his head from embarrassment and went to sit with them. "Can't believe its winter already," says Rick in a low voice. "She's so cold to you though, I thought you were already used to it," Cliff teased. "OOOOHHH!" says Grey and Jack. "Ha, very funny, Cliff," Rick says slouching in his chair. "I just remembered its Thanksgiving tomorrow! I can't wait to taste some of Mary's majestic cookies this year," says Grey. "Lucky you," says Rick "Hey, do you think you'll receive any?" "What me?" Jack says, "Nah, I don't think so."

Ann was serving the table next to the boys and she could help but eavesdrop. "But I'm pretty sure Cliff will receive some cookies," she winks at Cliff. The boy immediately turned red and looked down. "And you, Rick. I have some new information to share." The boys were now listening eagerly, "Karen came here this morning asking me for my cookie recipe. You must've finally caught her heart, Rick." "Impossible," says Rick. "I know Karen, she's not that type of girl who changes her mind." "What else could it be?" asks Ann. "What if they're for someone she likes?" says Grey, "Like Jack." "What? Me?" "Come to think of it, she's really kind to you. It's kind of heartbreaking," says Rick.

"Mom! Dad! Come here!" calls Karen. Jeff came barging in holding a fire extinguisher, while Sasha came in with a water can. The two of them almost dropped what they were holding when they saw Karen looking confused at them. Karen was holding a plateful of delicious looking cookies. The three of them immediately gathered at the table. "Is this some sort of dream?" asked Jeff, "Sasha! Slap me!" Oh really guys," Karen rolled her eyes, "Thanks for the support." "What exactly are these?" asked Sasha. "Based from Anne's recipe, they're the Caramel-stuffed Quadruple Chocolate Cookies." Seeing that her parents still couldn't believe it, she continued. "They are thicker than most cookies; each cookie is bursting with luscious caramel and melted chocolate. The cookies are made for extreme chocolate lovers. There's chips, chunks, cocoa, and chocolate pudding. Why don't you give it a try, Mom and Dad?" "Well, your words were very tempting," says Jeff, "Why not?" He took a bite and said, "They're busting with heavenly taste. This is fit for a king!" "Well you're my king, Dad," says Karen. Sasha takes a bite, "Wow! They're how chocolate cookies should taste! This is amazing, Karen!" she kissed her daughter in the cheek. "Who are they for anyway?" asked Jeff. Karen froze. Whoopsie.

The following day, Jack woke up with Karen on his mind. As he took a bite from his toast, he remembered a story Anne shared to them.

One time Karen made toast for their breakfast. It was so bad that Jeff had been brought to the doctor due to excessive vomiting. Sasha was there, too, feeling nausea.

That gave Jack the chills of how the cookies Karen made would turn out. He was smiling to himself. Even though she is the worst cook the town has to offer, she is in fact the most special in his eyes. He didn't want to expect what Grey said at the Inn but he couldn't stop expecting. Yes, expectations are the root of most heartaches but he didn't mind taking the risk.

The cookies were traditionally given in the morning, the girl has to bring the cookies to the boy's house and give it to him personally. Jack knew this, and the closer he got to the door the more nervous he gets. Will she be there when he opens the door or will he be greeted by the winter breeze? "Come on, be a man," he says while holding the door knob. He gently opens the door, and guess what? He was greeted by the winter breeze and Karen was nowhere to be seen. His face was emotionless; perhaps the cookies were really for Rick.

For some reasons he was pissed, even his dog could sense it. He went straight to the chicken coop, his dog stayed outside the door.

"Karen! Wake up! You're late!" says Sasha as she shakes the lifeless looking body of Karen. "Hmm? For what?" Karen replies in a very low voice. "What time do you suppose farmers wake up?!" Karen's eyed popped open. She hurriedly tied her hair in a bun and placed the cookies in a nice wrapper. Karen run as fast as her feet could carry her. Rick went out for a walk and before he could reach their house, he saw Karen running to Jack's farm. In her hand, she held a blue wrapper. Rick sat down and looked at the ground for a very long time.

"Oh my gosh, I'm finally here," says Karen. She saw that his front door was slightly open, she peeked and called Jack but there was no response. She scanned the farm but all she could see was white snow covering the land. Could it be that another girl had already been here and they are now enjoying each other's company? Karen felt bad roaming around his property without any permission. She was ready to turn back and leave when she saw a brown figure. She went towards the figure and saw that it was Marley, Jack's dog. Marley was sitting in front of the chicken coop, "Hey, Marley. Do you know where Jack is?" asked Karen to which Marley replied with a bark. It immediately hit her mind that Jack might be in this chicken coop. But now, she doesn't know what to do. Her excitement and eagerness earlier were slowly changing to nervousness and sadness. What if he won't like the cookies? What if another girl already came here before me? What if he'll just accept the cookies without accepting the feelings I have for him intertwined with it? No backing out now. What have I got to lose? Karen rested her forehead on the door, her hand on the door knob. She opened the door slowly and expected it to squeak but it didn't. He really keeps every inch of his farm at its best. Jack was placing feeds on the floor and was also facing the opposite direction. He says to himself, "Tsk, cookies. I can make my own anytime!" "What if I just give you?" Karen's hand suddenly appeared beside Jack offering him the cookies. "Jack stood up dropping the feeds. "Ka-Karen, no it's okay. I wasn't really expecting anyone to give me any," he says. Karen smiled and all her worries from earlier disappeared. This is Jack, the kind and sincere Jack. "But they're really for you," says Karen. Jack can't help but smile, "I knew it," he whispered. "What? Why are you smirking?" Karen demanded. "Nothing! Why don't we go to Mother's Hill Summit?" "Sure!"

"Wow Karen. This is really good. What'd you put in it?"

"Your cow's poop"

**"wwHaT?!"**

"Just kidding."


End file.
